League One's most expensive transfers after Birmingham City's £20m Jay Stansfield capture

Birmingham City well and truly shattered the League One transfer record on deadline day with the £15m signing of Jay Stansfield from Fulham.

The 21-year-old had been a target for Blues for the majority of the summer and on the final day of the window they got their man. Earlier in the week, Stansfield scored at St Andrew’s for the opposition, netting in a 2-0 win for the Cottagers in the Carabao Cup, but just three days later he was unveiled in the royal blue of Birmingham.

His arrival came too late to make his second debut against Wigan Athletic, but he could either play against Walsall in the EFL Trophy or be held back for the all-American owner clash between Birmingham and Wrexham on Monday, September 16. 

In total, the deal for Stansfield could be worth up to £20m with it reported to be £15m as the fee, and then £5m in add-ons. Birmingham already broke the transfer record for League One with the signings of Christophe Klarer and Willum Willumsson, so the pressure is on them to deliver.

With only the EFL Trophy game against Walsall to look forward to this week, we’re taking a look at the most expensive signings in League One history. Clubs have had expensive spending sprees in this division before but nothing like what Birmingham have done. 

Thanks to figures from TransferMarkt, here are the most expensive signings in the history of the third tier of English football. TransferMarkt opts to use euros as their default currency and so all signings are ranked in euros rather than pounds.

League One most expensive signings (as of September 3)

Jay Stansfield to Birmingham City from Fulham for €17.80m - 2024/25. 

Christophe Klarer to Birmingham City from SV Darmstadt 98 for €4.15m - 2024/25. 

Willum Willumsson to Birmingham City from Go Ahead Eagles for €4m - 2024/25. 

Will Grigg to Sunderland from Wigan Athletic for €3.4m - 2018/19. 

John Brayford to Sheffield Utd from Cardiff City for €2.3m - 2014/15. 

Britt Assombalonga to Peterborough United from Watford for €1.90m - 2013/14. 

Emil Hansson to Birmingham City from Heracles Almelo for £1.75m - 2024/25. 

John Marquis to Portsmouth from Doncaster Rovers for €1.70m - 2019/20. 

Mo Eisa to MK Dons from Peterborough United for €1.50m - 2021/22. 

Will Grigg to Wigan Athletic from Brentford for €1.42m - 2015/16. 

Jonson Clarke-Harris to Peterborough United from Bristol Rovers for €1.40m - 2020/21. 

Reece James to Wigan Athletic from Manchester United for €1.40m - 2015/16. 

Jose Fonte to Southampton from Crystal Palace for €1.40m - 2009/10.

Lyndon Dykes to Birmingham City from QPR for €1.20m - 2024/25. 

Alex Cochrane to Birmingham City from Hearts for €1.20m - 2024/25. 

Leif Davis to Ipswich Town from Leeds United for €1.20m - 2022/23. 

Gary Madine to Sheffield Wednesday from Carlisle United for €1.20m - 2010/11. 

Rickie Lambert to Southampton from Bristol Rovers for €1.20m - 2009/10.

Gassan Ahadme to Charlton Athletic from Ipswich Town for €1.18m - 2024/25. 

Archie Collins to Peterborough United from Exeter City for €1.17m - 2023/24.